Managing Director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) Anna Parry said:
There are several reasons why extending police powers of detention to medical professionals, including key frontline ambulance clinicians, could be unwelcome.
Our primary concern is that there has been no assessment or rationale provided as to how this will be safer for patients, or the healthcare professionals involved, with neither group having been consulted on these changes.
As always, the ambulance sector remains committed to working with police and government agencies throughout the UK to improve the provision of healthcare services to those in mental health crisis.
However, these proposed plans risk weakening the safety of that specialist provision. There is a clear requirement to properly test the proposed plans with the healthcare professionals who would be expected to implement these changes, as well as consulting with advocates representing patients with significant mental health needs, before these changes are further advanced.
